Pulses area up 34 pc to 139.42 lakh hectares

Sowing area of pulses has risen by 34 per cent to 139.42 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season on the back of good monsoon rains and higher market price of lentils.
Pulses acreage (area sown) stood at 103.85 lakh hectares in the same period last season, raising hopes of higher production and softening of high retail prices.
The government expects pulses production to increase to 20 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July-June) from 16.47 million tonnes in the previous year.
"The total sown area as on 26th August, 2016 as per reports received from states, stands at 1019.10 lakh hectare as compared to 973.40 lakh hectare at this time last year," an official statement said.

Paddy has been sown/transplanted in 363.07 lakh hectares so far this kharif season as against 352.23 lakh hectares in the last season.
Area under coverage for coarse cereals stood at 182.99 lakh hectares from 172.73 lakh hectares earlier.

Oilseeds sown area has gone up to 177.74 lakh hectares from 174.58 lakh hectares.
However, sugarcane area fell to 45.55 lakh hectares from 49.60 lakh hectares. Sown area for cotton too declined to 102.78 lakh hectares from 112.68 lakh hectares.
Jute and mesta acreage fell to 7.56 lakh hectares from 7.73 lakh hectares.
Sowing of paddy and other kharif crops begin with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting starts from October.

The Met Department has forecast better than normal rains for the four-month season ending September.
India produced around 252 million tonnes of foodgrains in each of the past two crop years (2015-16 and 2014-15), impacted by two consecutive drought years.
Amid hopes of better rains this year, the government is targeting a record production of 270 million tonnes in 2016-17 crop year.